Shadows in the Sun
by BornofStarlight
Summary: Roy died in Ishbal, and never once met the Elric brothers. Now, years later, Ed is a State Alchemist Hughes having been the one to find them instead, after he found one of their letters in Roy‘s old possessions and he runs across some old photos of Hughes
1. Photograph

**Um. Yeah... THis is the first shounen-ai story I've posted. (Yay for yaoi!) Um... Honestly, I have no idea if this will get finished, whether it's any good, or where it's even going, so bare with me, onegai. Each chapter is named after a song, just because I felt like it. Oh, and this is so completely AU that you'll probably be really confused at first. Maybe the confusion won't leave.**

**Disclaimer: Yeah... I disclaim it. There.**

**Chapter One: Photograph (Nickleback)**

The young man set the stack of papers aside. It had been yet another long day, and he was beat!

"Hey, Hughes?" he called. "I'm done with these reports. Can we go home yet?"

The dark-haired man poked his head around the doorframe. "Sure, Ed. Learn anything worth knowing?"

The blond looked wry. "Only that human nature is even worse than I thought."

Hughes laughed dryly. "Yes, I've heard that opinion before. Come on. Gracia probably has dinner cooking already. If we want to eat while it's hot, we'll have to hurry."

Ed pulled his blue uniform jacket on, having discarded it earlier, and followed the man out the door.

Later that night, Ed was reading a heavy book when suddenly Hughes threw something at his head. Flinching slightly, Ed caught it just in time and looked at it. A photo album. "Aw, Hughes…!"

Hughes grinned, and refused to listen to Edward's complaints. "Just thought you might enjoy looking at some of the older photos. Of course, my darling Alycia isn't in there, but there are other people you know."

And then Hughes refused to leave until Ed had started flipping through the pages.

Glancing covertly towards the other room, Ed went to set the album to the side, and paused.

An old picture of Hughes was smiling up at him, but that wasn't what had caught his attention. Rather, it was the man in the photo _with_ Hughes.

Dark eyes looked past the camera, and the expression on his face was almost sad. Ed looked down at it, captivated by the odd emotions hidden beneath the man's surface. Ed knew those same emotions all too well. Whoever it was, the man with dark eyes had not been happy to join the military, but had needed to for some unknown reason, some deep purpose.

Flipping to the next page, he found the man again, this time in civilian dress. He was smiling slightly, and looking mildly bored as he watched an overjoyed Hughes, and a clearly pregnant Gracia dance at some small party of friends.

Edward flipped to an earlier date in the album, looking for more. He found them. The man never quite looked at the camera in any of them, and sometimes it was just a picture of the back of his head, but he was on nearly every page.

Who was he…? Ed had never met him before, and he thought he'd met all of Hughes's friends. They had clearly been friends, if the number of photo's was any indication, but Ed had never seen him.

And that bothered him.

The sixteen-year-old came to a decision then and there: he would find out who this man was. He would find out if it killed him.


	2. Meant to Live

**-grins- This is fun. I've gotten five hours of sleep in the last week. Yes, I am insane. Love me for it? I find out TODAY where I'll be going for my Exchange trip. Yay me! I'm going to be an Exchange Student, starting in August! Lol. Hence, the trouble sleeping this week. Too excited.**

**Disclaimer: I disclaim my sanity. And I disclaim sleep. They're not mine.**

**Chapter Two: Meant to Live (Switchfoot)**

Ed slid his jacket on the next morning, trying not to yawn. Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he glanced towards the photo album. Having carried it upstairs last night, Ed now found he really didn't want to part with it.

"Edward? You awake?"

God, sometimes Hughes could be just a little too nosey… "Yes, Hughes. I'll be down in a bit."

The boy grabbed a notebook from his desk, as well as a fountain pen and left his room in a hurry. "Hughes," he hollered. "I've got some research to do, will you please inform Hawkeye that I'll be in later?"

"Sure thing, Ed." Hughes, used to such antics, hardly looked up as Edward rushed towards the door.

He had looked through all the currently enlisted personnel that lived in Central. Nothing.

He had searched through pictures of currently enlisted personnel in Eastern HQ. Again, nothing.

Ed put his head down on the desk, and sighed. Aggravating, that's what it was… Not bothering to lift his head, the blond reached to pull another stack of files towards him, but stopped mid-reach.

The fact that he'd never met the man, coupled with the fact that he and Hughes seemed to have been such close friends implied that maybe the man was dead. In which case, finding his file would be just that much harder…!

Banging his head into the desk several times, Ed let loose a couple swearwords. With a defeated motion, he gathered up his papers and went to find Hughes.

"Hey, Hughes, you got a minute?"

Glasses flashing in the light, Maes Hughes looked up from his photos. "Hey, Ed! I just got some new pictures developed! Wanna see?"

"Uh…" Edward paused in the doorway. "…maybe in a bit, Hughes. Actually, I had a question about some of those older photos…"

The dark-haired man raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Come on in, then."

Ed fidgeted for a moment, then took a deciding step into the small room. "Hughes, I looked and looked, and he's not in any of the files I have access to! Who the hell is it!" And he slammed one of the old picture down onto the desk.

Hughes looked it for a moment, an odd look on his face. Then, with a sigh, he looked up at Edward and smiled. The blond was glaring down at him, but he hadn't been taking care of the kid for two years without learning about him in the process.

"Sit down, Ed. Let me tell you a story…"

**Reader Worship! Yes! It is good to know the underground cannon-defying yaoi fans are alive and kicking! So...many...reviews...! I think it's going to my head. Anywho, each and every reviewer gets his or her own, personalized reply! Lol. True, for entirely selfish reasons, but... What can I say? I love replying to reviewers.**

**superspork97:** I love your username...! Lol. Sporks rock. Future chapters will be longer, I'm sure, but for now they're going to remain on the short side... Short side. -gigglesnort- Ed is on the 'short side' too... (God, I'm hyper. Well -- I should mention this review reply was written the night before I post -- it is rather late, and I AM drinking a Cherry Coke... That could be one reason. But probably not the only reason. EXCITMENT!) I agree with you about the last line or two. Some day when I'm feeling less sleep deprived I may go back and smooth things up. As it is...? I despise editing. Going back and editing, I mean. Usually I edit as I go. If I recall correctly, the first chapter was written at four AM... I wasn't really thinking about quality at that early hour.

**Larania Drake:** Lol. Have you guessed the pairing yet...? I'll give hints. Hint one: Ed is one of the characters being paired. Hint two: Al...really isn't in this story at all, not that I have anything against him, or elricest. Hint three: -coughhumantransmutationcough- Lol. That's all the hints you get. Though, honestly, I thought I said the pairing someplace... Summary, maybe...? I don't even remember.

**SayuriStang:** Gomen! I didn't update soon at all, and you specifically asked me to! I feel horrid. Okay. I'm done feeling horrid.

**YoaiFan26:** The same apology to you! (Though, two words hardly count as a review you know...) Lol.

**anmbcuconnfan:** I've confused you completely then? Wonderful! My life's mission is nearly fulfilled! I only have the rest of humanity to go! (And, between you and me, it's not gonna take much time to convince them...once I kill most of the humans off, anyway...) Damn it, it's late... Lol.

**Kite06:** Well...if you believe in God -- and Ed does, though he _is_ agnostic -- then you pretty much believe in some sort of afterlife too. Does that answer that? Hm. Yet another thing Edo and I have in common. We're both agnostic...

**Fading wind:** Lol. Your second guess was...half off. Aren't I evil? Taunting you with the pairing like that? Honestly though, I have trouble seeing Hughes with anyone but Gracia... Don't worry. Things will come to light. Eventually. Plot building can take me some time... Though, there is the occasional fic written purely for the smut... And even those develop a plot or half-plot. Odd...

**Seven reviews? Really? I'm...rather happy. Yes, you've established that, I realize. Um... I believe in Equivalent Exchange. Therefore, you give me a long review, I give you a long reply. Makes sense? Aw, Hell... I should go sleep... Stupid excitement-induced insomnia... On that note, everyone wish me luck, or cross your fingers or pray (if that's what you prefer) for me. I _reeeaaaalllyyyyy_ want to go to Japan for my Exchange trip. Next chapter I post will have my results! Or, if I get to them first, one of my other fics will have it. My Live Journal too. "Blame my Muses." Or MyOtaku account... "OneWithFire." Lmao. I'm rambling. Anyway, stay tuned. AND REVIEW! I _know_ you're out there, and so you have no excuse not to hit the nice review button. Nor am I a hypocrit. I review for other people! When I remember! Well, people, here's your reminder! REVIEW FOR ME!**


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